Beer-ventilator



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. H. VEHR & J. KIRBY.

BEER VENTILATOR.

No. 327,040. Patented Sept. 29, 1885.

INVENTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. H. VEHR &-J. KIRBY.

BEER VENTILATOR.

Patented Sept. 29, 1885.

Fig. 8.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. VEHR AND JOSIAH KIRBY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

BEER-VENTILATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,040, dated September 29, 1885.

Application tiled April 19, 1884. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that we, JOHN H. VEHR and JOSIAH KIRBY, residents of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ventilators for 'Casks'and other Vessels for Holding Liquids, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of ventilators which are designed to be driven or otherwise-introduced through the bung, bushing, or other portion of the cask or equivalent receptacle when the liquid is to be drawn therefrom to automatically permit the entrance of air to the cask as the liquid is withdrawn, but prevent the escape of any air, gas, or liquid from the cask.

The objects of our invention will be apparent from the drawings and the following description.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure l is a sectional view of a ventilator and cask, showing the relations of the various parts when in position. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the vent plug and valve removed from the body or shell. Fig.

3 is a view looking into the end of the ventilator in which the vent-plug is to be placed. Fig.4isaviewofthatend ot'thevent-plugwhich is toward the leftin Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken at the line was of Fig. 1, and looking toward the inner end of theplug, the inner flange of the plug not being shown. Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 illustrate certain modifications of my invention, which will be specified during the progress of this description.

A is the body or shell of the ventilator, which may be of any of the well-known forms now in use, or of any desired configuration, one end of this body being provided with a nozzle, a, to be inserted into the cask. The preferred form of said body or shell is that shown in the drawings; and it consists of a nozzle portion, a, and branch or limb A, joined to the nozzle portion at an angle thereto, preferably at right angles. The end at of the nozzle portion is closed, and preferably projects beyond the angulated branch H, and is adapted to receive the blows of a mallet or hammer for driving the nozzle into the bung. This body or shell A is hollow throughout, and in that end or end portion which is outside of the cask is placed the vent-plug B, which plugis provided with a flange, b, adapted to rest against a shoulder, b, in the shell A, to prevent the plug from entering the shell too far. This plug B has an interior cavity, D, the opening or mouth of which is in that end of the plug which is the outer end when the plug is in position in the shell. The top of this plug B has a valveseat, d, which is flat or slightly convex, but preferably flat, in the center of which is an opening, d, communicating with the cavity D. On top of this valve-seat d is placed a piece, 0, ofthin sheet-rubber or other flexible material-as, for example, leather, oiled silk, &,c.-whieh forms the valve.

At the inner end of the valve-seat d is a flange or lug, e, which. in conjunction with the wall or portion f of the plug located toward the outer end of the vent-plug, prevents the valve 0 from moving longitudinally off from the valve-seat when the plug B is in position in the shell A; but the diameter of the opening in the shell at the end in which the plug B is placed is sufficiently enlarged to permit the valve 0 to rise slightly off from the valve-seat; or instead of enlarging said opening in the shell the valve can be made slightly smaller than the width of the valve seat.

On the bottom of the interior of the shell A. at the end in which the plug B is inserted, is a slightly-raised flat seat, G, and the bottom of the plug B is slightly flattened, as at 9, so that when the plug B is inserted in the end of the shell this plug is prevented from turning, and the valve-seat d is thus kept approximately level, and the valve 0 will thus lie by force of gravity on the valve-seat, except when air rushes in through the cavity D and opening 01'.

When the plug B is placed in the end of the shell A, a packingring, E, is interposed between the flange b and the shoulder b, and an annularscrew-plug, F, is then screwed into the end of the shell and caused to press tightly against the plug B, holding it firmly in position.

When the ventilator is in position in the cask, the pressure of the gasor liquid within the cask presses the valve 0 down firmly on ICO The plug 13, constructed as shown in Figs.

1 to 5, is applicable to any of the well known forms of ventilators of the above-described class now in use, and may be easily applied thereto, and the valve may be easily replaced when it becomes worn.

If desired, the shell A and plug B may be formed as shown'in Figs. '6 to '9, the plug being'screwed intothe bottom of the shell, and

the valve-seat d being formed on the upper end of the plug.

In thislatter formation the annular cap or follower F is dispensed with, the flange b of l the plug remaining on the outside of the'shell;

and thebody of the plug B is provided with a screw-thread, which engages with a'female thread in the opening in the bottom of the shell A,'through which theplug passes, as shown'in Fig. 6.

The valve-seat d may be either square, as shown in Fig. 8, or round, as shown in Fig. 9, and in either vevent the valve is'retained in position, and yet permitted to raise and lower by appropriate lugs, 6, corresponding in purpose to the lug or flange e on the plug shown in Fig. 2.

The means, if any are desired, for preventing the plug from turning in the shell A, may be varied or dispensed with as desired. The

'means for retaining the plug in the ventilator and the mode of efiectinga tight joint between the ventilator'and the plug may also be varied as desired.

While the various features of our invention 1. The ventilator having shoulder b, and

vent-plug B, having flange b, and the annular packing E, compressed between said shoulder and flange, and screw-plug F, engaging a screwthread in the ventilator and forcing the flange b and packing E toward shoulder b the ventplug having passage-way D d and horizontal valveseat, and valve 0, the roof of the valve-chamber being formed by the side of the ventilator-shell, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination of the portions, nozzle a and branch H connected at an angle, the portion H having shoulder b, and vent-plug B, having flange b, annular packing E between said shoulder and the said flange, and screw-plug F, engaging a screw thread inportion H and forcing the flange 1) toward shoulder I), the vent-plug provided with passage D d, and with horizontal valve-seat, and with valve-guards, as e',and valve'O, and thereof of the valvechamber bcingthe inner surface of the ventilator-shell, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The ventilator-shell having the flat seat G, and the vent'plughaving the flattened portion 9, and the valve-seat and valve, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

at. The ventil'atonsheh having the raised fiat seat G,and the vent-plug having the flattened portion 9, and valve seat on the ventplug in connection with the passage -,way

through the latter and valve, the roof of the valve-chamberbeing formed by the inner surface of the ventilator-shell, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In combination, theshell of a ventilator, the separable vent-plug having the recessed valve-seat-d, boundediat one endloy the fiange e, and at the other endby portion .f of the plug. the vent-plug having the recess or chamber D,"open at the outerendof the flangeand communicating with the'valve-seat by orifices d, and the loose flexible valve-piecetl substantiall'y as and for the purposes specified.

JOHN H. VE-HR. JOSIAH KIRBY.

lVitnesses:

JOHN BROWN, R. N. WELLINGTON. 

